Buffer and vestibule connection for passenger-cars



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H. O. BUHOUP. BUFFER AND VESTIBULE OONNEGTION FOR PASSENGER CARS.

No. 503,647. Patented AugYZZ, 1893.-

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} H. O. BUHOUP. BUFFER AND VESTIBULE CONNECTION FOR PASSENGER GARS.

Nov Patented Aug. 22, 1893,

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BUFFER AND YESTIBULE CONNEUT ION FUR PASSENGER CARS.

'Patent'ed AugQ 22, 1893.

portions of the buffer plates.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. BUHOUR OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BUFFER AND VE STIBULE CONNECTION FOR PASSENGER-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,647, dated August22, 1893.

Application filed May 9, 1893- Serial No. 473,533. (No model.)

.To all tvhom it may concern.-

platform and vestibule, portions of the platform and vestibule beingbroken away to show the construction and connection of the vertical andhorizontal buffers. Fig. 2 is a front perspective of the end of the carand vestibule, the bellows or accordion fold hood being removed, andpart of the casing broken away at one angle of the vestibule to show therelation of the rearwardly extending plate or flange of the verticalbufier to the casing and door post of the vestibule. Fig. 3 is a frontperspective similar to Fig. 2, the center horizontal buffer having beenremoved. Fig. 4 is a front perspective similar to Fig. 2, the bellows oraccordion rubber hood which closes the space between the end of the carand the upper end of the vertical bulfer being in place. Fig. 5 is anenlarged front view of the rubber or equivalent flexible connectionbetween the two vertical buffer plates at the top, and of Fig. 6 is aninverted view of the rubber or equivalent flexible bellows connection orhood. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of the flexibleconnection between the tops of the vertical buffers and of the bellowsor flexible hood on the line x-:r, Fig. 5., showing the relation of saidparts to the vertical buffers and the flange or lateral plate thereof.Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse sections of the flanged vertical bufferplates, the latter figure showing how a plate hinged to the bufie'rplate may be substituted for the flange if desired.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention has for its object to provide increased friction surfacebetween the ends of the cars and greater security against telescoping incase of collision and alsoto protion, generally stated, embraces thecombination with a railway car, of independent parallel and verticalbulfers adapted to work together or independentlyof each other, wherebythe vibration or oscillation of the cars is perfectly controlled orlimited to the minimum amount.

A second feature embraces the combination of independent parallel andvertical buffers with each other and with an independent horizontalbuffer, so arranged and supported as to be adapted for either conjointor separate operation.

A third feature of my invention embraces, the construction of thevertical independent bufiers with lateral plates or flanges, totelescope with the door casing so as to exclude drafts, dust, &c.

A fourth feature, embraces, the combination with independent verticalbuffer plates of a flexible hood or bellows hood adapted to close thespace between the top of the car and the tops of the independentvertical buifer plates.

There are other minor features of invention, and combinations, all aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that othersskilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, Aindicatesapassenger car platform, and B the usualbumper rail at the endthereof through which passes the stems c c, of thehorizontalvbuffer plate 0. The stems c 0, may be rigidly attached to thehorizontal bufier plate 0, but are usually pivoted as at c andextendthence back through thebumper rail B, and through the cross bar orequalizer D, between which and the cross bar D' are the springs E,E,--all of which may be of the usual or any approved construction forhorizontal bufiers or under some circumstances may be entirely omittedif ahorizontal buffer is not to be used in the combination. When thehorizontal buffer plate 0 is used it may be provided with the usualhorizontal flange or sill plate. I also prefer to provide a center stem0 which has itsrear end supported by the springsupported equalizing barD, in order .to prevent the buifer C from bending if compressed in thecenter-but said central stem is not an essential feature of theconstruction.

1, 1, indicate two vertical parallel and independent bufier plates, eachof a lengthsub sta ntially equal to the height of the vestibule,

and each supported above and belowbystems.

2, 2, which may be rigidly secured thereto,

or as is preferred pivotally connected therewith, as at 3. Theseindependent buf-* fers 1, 1,may be actuated by air or weights,without'departing from the spirit of my invention, but are preferablyspring supportedasshown, that is to say, theupper stems pass through thefra'm-ingand through brackets-4,

and are encircled by spiral springs 5 which bear on the brackets andagainst a shoulder or its equivalent on the stem 2. The lower ends ofthe vertical bufier plates maybe supported in like manner, itdesired-and should be if the'vertical butter plates are used withoutihtBhOPiZODtitlbllflfGl' plate O,butin case the horizontal buffer plate(3 forms part of the combination I prefer to dispense with in- 1dependent springs on the lower stems, and to, connect the stems 2*'2,with the equalizing} bar D so that the spring supports E, E, of thehorizontal bufier serve for the support of the It will be oblatter, aswell as the former. served by examining Fig. l of the drawings,

that the openings in the equalizing barD for the passage of the severalstems,a-re of an oval form which permits of the independent as well asthe conjoint action of the vertical and the horizontal buffer-plates. Itwillalso benoted that the cross bar or equalizer D is, so connected withthe horizontal buffer stems 0-0, that when any action of the horizontalbuffer 0 takes place the vertical buffers 1, 1,

' are also operated, though thevertical buffers may act separately. Theouter faces of the vertical bufier plates may be either flat as: shownin sectional view Fig. 8, or curved, as shown in sectional view Fig. -9,but I'prefer.

to use both-tha.t is to saya flat vertical bu'ffer plate on one car incontact with acurved face buffer plate on the other car (appliedalternately), the object being toprovide safety in case of collision. Iprovide each of the vertical buffer plates 1,

with a rearwardly projecting plate-(or-flange) 5 5 7,whi'ch slides inand out in a recess 7 of the postS-and is covered by thecasing 9, (seeFigs.

2 and 3,) so as to form a draft and dustproof connection between theverticalbuifer plate 1 and theplatform. Forconvenience ofconstruction, Iprefer to form t-heplate or flange 7 integratwiththe buffer plate 1- (orthe wholeof angle iron) but the plate 7 may have a hinge connection withthe buffer plate l,'as indicated at 7", Fig. 9, which will be ad-'vantageous in curving and. permit of a closer A joint as the recess 7for the reception of the vertical flange, or plate {7 may be of lesswidth than would otherwise be necessary. This construction afiordsadditional strength to the vertical lateral bufier plates 1, 1, of greatvalue in case of a collision-and at the same time it produces asmoothiron passage-way between cars and renders it almost impossible forpersons to get their hands or arms in- .jured between the butters anddoor posts of the platform, as now sometimes occurs where rubber is usedfor filling up the space. When the lateral vertical .platesor flangesare omitted, some flexible material must be substituted therefor'toclose up the side spaces between the vertical buffer plates 1, 1 and thecar.

10 indicates a bellows hoodor accordion rubber, (see Figs. 4, 5,6 and7,) which forms a flexible connection'between the upperends of thevertical buffer plates 1,- 1, and being secured thereto extends down onthe outside of the lateral'plates '7 and back to the car roof to whichit is also at'tac hed, thus effectuallyclosing the overhead spacebetween the car and vertical bufifer plates by a'flexible connectionwhich, while it securesa water'and dust proof coveredway, in no wiseimpedes the independent a'ction of the vertical lateral bufler plates 1,1.

I wish it also understood 'that'the vertical bufferscan be used inconnection with the horizontal buifer by making one of the wellknownconnections, either rigid :or flexible. In this case the stems 2 mightbe dispensed with, so that while the principal feature of my inventionis the'independent vertical bulfers Ido not wish to confine myselfstrictly to that point.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a railway car, 'of independent lateral verticalbufiers 5 substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination with a railway car, 'of independent lateral verticalbuflers provided with rearwardly extending plates or flanges;sugstantial ly as and for the purposes specifie 3. The combination witha railway car, of independent lateral vertical bufiers, provided withpivoted or hinged rea-rwardlyextending plates; substantiallyas and forthe purposes specified.

4. The combination with a railway ca1',-of independent lateral verticalbufiers, provided with rearwardly "extending plates, and a casing anddoor posts between which said rearwardly extending plates slide;substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination with a railway car, of independent vertical lateralbuflfers, and a flexible connection between the tops of said bufiers andthe top of the car; substantially asand 'for the purposes specified.

6. The combination wi-th'a railway car, of

- independent lateral verticalbuffers one of said buffers having acurved face and the other a flat face; substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

7; The combination with a railway car, of independent lateral verticalbufiers, and a horizontal buflfer, and means for Coupling the samewherebythe lateral bufiers may operate independently of or conjointlywith the horizontal bufier; substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

8. The combination with arailway car, of independent lateral verticalbuffers, and a spring supported cross bar; substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

9. The combination with a railway car, of independent lateral verticalbufiers, and a horizontal buffer, of a spring supported cross orequalizing bar, common to all of said buffers; substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

HARRY O. BUHOUP.

Witn esses:

R. E. J ANNEY, CHAS. KENNEDY.

